the jenni chronicles

I’m not really sure what it is, but no matter where I am Cody HAS to be on leash or else he will take off. Its just something I always know in the back of my mind. For example; On the way to visit my parents last week we stopped at a store, Rugby Dude got out and Cody went crazy. He jumped over the front seats and over me to get out the door, and he almost succeeded if I hadn’t chased him to the end of the car and caught him by the collar. He gets a little crazy sometimes. Ive taken him everywhere dogs love to run free, and everyone always looks down on me because I keep him on the leash. It is for a good reason. I can’t lose that dog, I love him too much.

On Sunday RD and I decided to take a break from the heat and drive to the mountains with Cody. RD just bought a Bronco to use as a weekend vehicle and Cody fit perfectly in the back with lots of room to do what dogs do best when on car trips. The day was absolutely beautiful, blue skies, fluffy white clouds, summer breeze in the windows…it was perfect. We decided to stop and let Cody get into the water, he is a Labrador after all and they just love the water. We found a stream off the road somewhere on our drive and RD opened the back of the truck as I got out with Cody’s leash.

Now a tangent….We had discussed it before, and I let him know that Cody loves to take off. Often in the past though he had been off leash for hikes with other male figures and he had minded and stayed nearby. But he just never did that for me. Whenever given the chance, whether accidentally or not- the dog loves to just run away from me. I think he just tunes me out completely and it becomes a big game for him to run from me.

Anyway back to my story- RD opened the back of the truck and Cody got out. Now in my mind as I approached the rear of the truck and Cody wasn’t there- I freaked out a little.
I may have pooed in my pants a little even.

“Where is he?” I gasped
RD laughed hesitantly and said “Hes over there….I guess we will try this off leash thing”
I wasn’t laughing at the time but I did think this could possibly work with RD around…although I am always skeptical…

Cody was really good at first! He went and romped in the water for a little bit, and when RD called him he came to us. I was really surprised actually.
However…This lasted maybe hmmmm five minutes?? It was good while it lasted…

After Cody came back across from the other side of the stream he thought it would be great fun to run at full speed right past us and up onto the road we had driven in on…and I mean full speed FAST. We literally stood there and watched as he ran one way and then turned around and came back….but right past us again and this time he just kept running. Running into the mountains, up into nowhere…even when we yelled at him, he just kept going. My stomach sank and I thought this was it. He was gone.

I knew I wasn’t fast enough to chase him, I had done it before and he always won. In the end I would always find him in a neighbors yard, or stuck in a corner where I could grab him. But this time- there were no corners or neighbors yards…only the wide open space of the Colorado mountains. RD gave me a look, and I didn’t even have to say a word…he took off running after Cody.

I was like a deer in the headlights at that point. I had my hands over my face, and wasn’t crying- but only because I didn’t know what to do. I thought…HEY! get into the Bronco and drive! So I tried to, but I soon discovered the keys were in RD’s pocket still. What do I do? I jogged up to the road and looked as far as I could…What did I see? I saw a Rugby Dude running at top speed about half a mile down, and then a couple yards down I saw a main highway with cars speeding by and I almost threw up. What if Cody had run into that traffic? Seriously cars and trucks going by at 60 mph or more..I was sick. I grabbed the leash from the truck and went running in my flip flops up the road after them.

I met them half way back down the road, RD with Cody’s neck in hand, and he wasn’t happy. There was no way I was going to be mad at RD for letting Cody jump out of the truck without the leash…heck even I thought it might work, but now I think he understands why I have him on that leash everywhere. Between gasps for air I heard RD say “I learned my lesson” and I kissed him with a smile for chasing after Cody. What other guy would have done that? I am so lucky to have him. Seriously, I would have never caught him if it weren’t for RD.

Rugby Dude to the rescue!

On the way back I tried to be as mad as I could to Cody, but you know that wasn’t much…I’m just happy that he is back with me. Thats all that matters..thanks to RD I have my baby back!

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(¸.•´ (¸.•´ .•´ ¸¸.•¨¯`•. jenni